Wildscaping for pollinators

You might not want to coax a bumblebee onto your finger like you would a ladybug - but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invite Mrs. Bumblebee into your yard.

After all, we would have nothing to eat without our pollinating wildlife, which includes hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, some wasps, etc. That’s why it’s important to do our part to make the urban environment healthy and productive by putting out the welcome mat for pollinators.

Our landscapes can offer pollinators and other wildlife a habitat that provides food, shelter and materials for nesting. Even small pockets of wildscape in our yards will attract a diversity of pollinators--and songbirds, too.

Wildscapes vary greatly, but they share key design and maintenance principles. Here are the basics for creating a pollinator-friendly yard:

Offer diverse layers and shelter like Mother Nature does--plant life provides this as well as stumps, rocks, walls and other landscape features.

Provide nourishing, natural food using a diversity of plants. Use plants that appeal to a wide range of pollinators and use an assortment of plants that collectively span the entire time wildlife may be active.

Provide water for drinking and bathing via ponds, drippers and bird baths.

Conserve resources by using plants that are native or adapted to our climate.

Colorado’s own Plant Select® offers many excellent plants that attract pollinators. Because these plants are well-suited to our altitude and often harsh growing conditions, they should be at the top of our list of plants to consider. Below are top choices that are well-suited to the Front Range and higher elevations.

WinecupsSize: 5-8” tall x 30+” wideConditions: Dry to xeric (little to no additional water once established); full sunCare: Cut back to base in spring. Can trim back after first flush of flowers to encourage bushier growth.Why grow it: Easy to grow, extremely drought-tolerant, and covers a large area of spaceAttracts: butterflies, bees, mothsAltitude limit: to 8,000’

Baby blue rabbitbrushSize: 16-28” tall x 20-30” wideConditions: Moderate to xeric (little to no additional water once established); full sunCare: Shape in spring for bushier growthWhy grow it: Dwarf form with silvery-blue leaves, beautiful in and out of bloom.Attracts: butterflies, bees, mothsAltitude limit: to 8,000’